StarClan's Leader
by BrightSun26
Summary: When there's something wrong with StarClan, the Clan cats try to find a way to figure the problem out-why is StarClan doing this? What is their motive? Why are their ancestors turning on them?
1. Chapter 1

**Hey! I'm a new user, so...**

**This is my first fanfic, so I decided to create one about one of my favorites, Warrior Cats. If you haven't read them yet, they are really good. Anyway, hope you like!**

Chapter One:

Dovewing sprinted across the undergrowth, rustling the crisp leaves gently. The frosty air blew at her fur, flattening it against her rigid body. The mouse nibbled at a small acorn, right in front of her. If she wanted to catch it, she had to make sure her paws didn't drop too loudly on the forest floor, so that the mouse couldn't feel the vibrations thrumming through the ground.

She saw a flash of dark tabby fur before she pounced, and crashed into a familiar figure. She looked up and gasped in surprise, backing away. _Tigerheart!_

She hissed, seeing the mouse,young and fat, scuttling away. "What did you do that for?" she spat, clawing at the ground in frustration, "I was so close!"

"Dovewing,"Tigerheart began, "Listen, please. This is important. Your clan is in danger… They're back!"

"What?"Dovewing paced back and forth, confused. "What are you saying?"

Tigerheart sighed and shook his head. "We don't have time. I-"

Dovewing stopped, outraged. "Wait a second. How am I supposed to believe you? You're ShadowClan," she scoffed, stepping forward with each word, until Tigerheart was backed against a tall oak tree. "Can you do me a favor and get out of my dream?"

"But-"Tigerheart shook his head, frustrated and angry," You don't understand. I-I'm trying to HELP you!"

Dovewing snorted scornfully."Right. As if ShadowClan would ever be trustable. Never mind the fact that you deliberately made me lose that mouse!"

Tigerheart sighed. "You do know that even if you caught it, you could never have tasted it? It's a DREAM."

"Obviously," Dovewing snorted, "I was practicing."

"Right,"Tigerheart nodded sarcastically. "Obviously."

Dovewing glared at him. "What are you doing here, anyways? It's not exactly you domain."

Tigerheart sighed again, and leaned against the trunk of the tree tiredly. "I already told you. I don't have time right now…"All of a sudden, he froze. "Did you hear that?"

"No." Dovewing looked at him curiously. "What's wrong?"

"I-"Tigerheart began, then shook his head. "StarClan is full of cats; it must be one of them." He stepped forward, but before he could continue, his fur started melting away. "Wait-no!" he yowled, scrabbling at the bark with his fading claws. "Listen, Dovewing! You need to find me! Find me before-"He was gone.

Dovewing gazed at the spot where Tigerheart had just been, a dull feeling stealing into her spine. Something was happening-why? Why now, when Firestar had just sacrificed his life to save the clans? She shook her head and went off deeper into the forest. It wasn't a problem. She was one of the Three, and she could stop anything.

Tigerheart lept from the marshy ground, feeling his fur whistle against the faint wind. He caught the frog and, with it clenched between his teeth, leaned against the nearest tree and began to tear it open. The meat was delicious, and Tigerheart felt the hunger receding with every gulp.

"Watch it, there. You don't want to get sick."

Tigerheart lept up and shoved the frog away from himself, shrugging guiltily. "I'm sorry for forgetting to share with you."

An old tabby with clumpy fur and a white, scarred muzzle peered down at him, astounded. "What in the world are you talking about, youngster?"

"I-"Tigerheart stopped short. "Wait-you loners don't share food?"

"Wha-"the loner looked at the frog hungrily. "Well, we do sometimes, but we ain't like you Clan cats. Forgetting about yourself, that's what I call it." He leaned down and gulped down a piece of the frog, chewing quickly as he examined Tigerheart. "Do you ever think about yourself?"

"Yes," Tigerheart snapped, feeling the urge to defend the Clans, in spite of what had happened. "But we care about others-they're our family, and our friends. We don't leave them for anything else and we always remember them."

"You speak as if you are still one of them," the old loner observed carefully,"and we both know that's not true."

Tigerheart bristled and held back another retort. Clenching his teeth, he knelt down and shared the frog with the old cat, noting how much it tasted like home. Home, he thought. When would he ever see it again?

Lionblaze burrowed deep into the nest, feeling the soft, warm moss tickle his nose. He blinked up at Cinderheart, who was watching him playfully as she batted her paw at him. He purred, and flipped over to see one of his kits, Stonekit, scramble into the nest.

The past few days had been the happiest of Lionblaze's life. Cinderheart's and his kits had just came, and they had already opened their eyes. Upon seeing the beautiful world around them, Lionblaze felt a joyful tingle run down his spine. It was also tinged with sadness, for just a moon ago, Firestar has also died. Lionblaze remembered the death with drowning sorrow.

Cinderheart nudged him with her shoulder. "You're thinking of him, aren't you?" Her eyes flowed with deep understanding. Firestar had been Lionblaze's kin, and leader of ThunderClan. Everyone had suffered when he died. "I'd better go see what Squirrelflight has planned for me today," he said, shaking away the memories. Cinderheart stepped away as he got up. "Can you take care of the kits?"

"Easy, there, Lionblaze," Cinderheart playfully shoved him,"I'm the queen here, not you." She purred and picked up Stonekit and Meadowkit carefully by the scruff.

Lionblaze padded outside, feeling the warm sunshine soothe his fur. It helped him draw his thoughts away from Firestar, just barely. Running over to Squirrelflight, he greeted her in a friendly way.

"Hi, Lionblaze," Squirrelflight murmured distractedly," Bramblestar's about to hold a Clan meeting."

Lionblaze studied her quizzically, but could find nothing to give her away. He settled down before the Highrock and waited.

Bramblestar soon appeared, his head bowed. He called the Clan, and Lionblaze's fur prickled with tension as Bramblestar opened his mouth with a yowl. "ShadowClan has been attacked!"

Murmurs ran through the cats down below. Dustpelt's screech rang above all others:"How does that concern ThunderClan?"

"Because," Bramblestar calmly composed, "They are being attacked...by StarClan."

Shocked silence filled the air. Bramblestar measured every cat's gaze, then continued," There has been one cat banished for betraying the Clans by siding with StarClan." His voice rang with bitterness;Lionblaze could tell he hated the whole situation. "It was Tigerheart."

More shocked silence from the cats, but this time it was all but one. Dovewing's protest pierced the air. "Tigerheart would never do that! I just had a dream-" she stopped and sat back down. Bramblestar's eyes skimmed her, then he began again.

"He has. Tigerheart was seen attacking one of his Clanmates. When he was interrogated, he said StarClan told him to do it. When the medicine cat was asked, he said StarClan had ignored him for the past seasons."

Lionblaze's eyes widened. It couldn't be...but it must. Bramblestar didn't lie. What had Tigerheart done?

**Next chapter, we all find out-what did Tigerheart do? Why is StarClan doing this? Is it really StarClan? Do the Clans believe it? **


	2. Chapter 2

**Read on! :)**

Tigerheart nudged the old cat in the right direction as, sleepily, they headed back to the hollow. The undergrowth crunched underfoot as, drenched in ThunderClan scent, they crossed the border and padded towards the horseplace.

His eyes drooped with exertion. The old cat sagged, leaning on him. Rumbling snores rippled through the air and Tigerheart pulled the strange cat inside the hollow, and set him down in a pile of leaves and sticks. Tigerheart's paws led him unconsciously towards his nest, and, tucking his muzzle into his pelt, he fell asleep.

He woke up with a start,a very loud crunching noise stirring him. Rising, Tigerheart licked his paw and held it to his ear, washing it. "Did you have to wake the whole forest with your eating?"

The elderly cat stopped, a squirrel haunch halfway to his mouth. "I caught this, young'un. Whatever you catch, you eat, and eat as gloriously as possible." He continued, the scent of the meat rising through the air tantalizingly.

Tigerheart smiled sadly. He could remember quite clearly a time when he had friends, and family, and people he actually knew. He didn't even know this old cat's name, he realized. Reaching down, he tore off another haunch and chewed thoughtfully. "By the way, who are you?"

The tom paused. "I'm-" then he broke off, shaking his head."Like everything,all in good time."

"Why are you so close to Clan territory? Any further and you'd be crowfood."

"Personal business," the cat mewed cheerfully, flicking his ears,"You should learn how to keep your motives to yourself, too."

Tigerheart bowed his head. He had shamefully told the loner about how he had been banished the first day they had met. He nodded, dismissing the reply,"But why?"

"None of your business," the tom stepped back and inspected his paw,"I have my motives, remember?"

Tigerheart grit his teeth and nodded once more. He finished the squirrel silently and, curiosity sparking his eyes, he went to his nest and began to clean the moss up. As he tidied up, his thoughts wandered to his old clan. What would ShadowClan be doing right now? Defying StarClan, most likely. He sighed, stopping his work to look up at the blue sky. If only he could transfer the truth to them without getting shredded to pieces...Yet, like the old loner had said, all in good time. They would soon know.

Dovewing rubbed Meadowkit's soft head affectionately. They were adorable,kits, she reflected, remembering the days when she, herself, roamed the nursery, innocent and amazed. Ivypool had always been the headstrong one, she realized cheerfully, accepting the fact that she was more cautious. She gently pushed Meadowkit forward to the fresh-kill pile. "This is your second time eating fresh -kill," she mewed to the wide-eyed kit. "Ready to taste it again?" She picked a mouse at the top of the pile and slit it open for her.

Meadowkit purred and scrambled forward with her little paws. She inspected the mouse carefully, then lunged and began gulping it down speedily. Dovewing watched amused, as the little kit seemed to attack the prey.

"We have a great warrior here," Brambleclaw mewed, as his dark eyes lit up in amusement. He padded forward and took a sparrow, purring at the awed kit. Dovewing grabbed a vole and set off towards the medicine cat den. Seeing Jayfeather lingering at the corner, she padded over. "How are you?" she asked, setting down the prey.

"Cobwebs...poppy seeds, marigold….yarrow..Dovewing, we're running out of everything!" Jayfeather mewed, panickedly turning to Dovewing, "If we have a battle out of nowhere, all that'll be left of us is a couple of bones and fur!"

Dovewing peered, startled, into the herb store. She saw a few leaves in the back and reached for them, snagging them by the edge of her clawtips. Pulling them towards her, she set them on the stone floor. "How are these?"

"No!" Jayfeather snapped scornfully,"Those are rotten, don't you even know your herbs? This is terrible! Along with the StarClan problem, Tigerheart might attack us, and what if someone gets blackcough?" He hissed at the stone floor and grabbed the herbs, throwing them out the back of the den.

Dovewing backed out uneasily. "Jayfeather, I'm sure it's all going to be-"

"Don't you tell me that!" Jayfeather spat at her. "Don't you lie to me like that! I know how dire this situation is-get out!"He whirled around and poked at the only fresh herbs left.

Dovewing padded out of the den, worried. Jayfeather sometimes overrreacted, she knew, but this seemed too important to forget. She shook the thoughts away. Everything would be all right, she reasoned. Nothing would happen. Nothing could happen, she thought desperately. Firestar had just sacrificed his life for the Clans. StarClan couldn't have let this happen. And it wasn't as if anyone believed that StarClan would do something like that, right?

Tigerheart brushed the herbs aside with a flick of his tail. "Where did you get these?" he asked, watching the elderly cat uneasily.

"Oh, a stone cave somewhere. There was plenty," the tom said casually,"Is there something wrong?"

"A stone-"Tigerheart's heart sank. Terrified, he gazed at the cat gapingly. "You stole these from ThunderClan?"

"ThunderClan?What's that?"

Tigerheart's eyes turned red with fury. "How-could-you?" he snarled, pushing his muzzle in the tom's gray, scarred face. "These could have saved _twenty _ cats!"

The tom looked up, startled. "What?"

"These were a Clan's herbs!" Tigerheart growled, shoving the herbs into the cat's vision,"You might've just condemned cats to death!"

The cat, bewildered, gazed at the herbs to Tigerheart's face, then back again. "I didn't know."

"I mean, seriously!" Tigerheart ranted loudly, imagining ThunderClan cats, bleeding, without herbs to save them. An image of Dovewing flickered into his mind, and he shook his head impatiently. He didn't have time for things like that.

"Thinking about someone special?" the cat murmured, watching Tigerheart calculatingly. "Me, too."

"Whatever," Tigerheart mumbled, his pelt burning all of a sudden. In an effort to soothe it, he changed the subject. "We need to get these back."

"Who were you thinking about?" the tom asked him, curious. His eyes flickered with hidden intelligence.

"Nobody!"Tigerheart protested, his heart racing. "Now let's get these back!"

"Tell me."

"Let's get these-"

"I would like to know,"the old cat continued, "who you wish to keep safe. If you tell me, I will help you return these herbs. "

"That's no deal!"Togerheart scoffed, "As if I would-Wait-what did you say? You'll help me return the herbs that you so consequently stole?"

"Yes," the old cat mewed calmly, "If, and only if, you tell me-"

"Okay, okay," Tigerheart sighed and settled down. "But you have to tell me your story-everything."

"Go on, then."

"I'm trying to save-well, we're not really saving them, right? Just returning what we stole," Tigerheart mewed uneasily,"But- there's a she-cat named Dovewing. We're friends, from a while ago when we saved the Clans from beavers upstream,"he added. "And-I just don't want her to get hurt. That's all," he added hastily, when the tom gazed at him meaningfully. "Your turn."

"Ah, well. At least now I know you actually care about these cats," the cat sighed. "You'll have to settle down for this, young'un. This will take a while."

"I used to be a kittypet," he murmured, his chin raised proudly. "But I was happy. Who cared that the Clan cats scorned me? I was joyful and a curious cat. I never knew where that would lead me.

When I was as old as you Clan cats would be during apprenticeship, I met a tom named Tallpaw." Here, the cat's eyes misted with memories. "He was on a mission, he said. I helped him, he was done, he decided to return to his Clan, though he had run away. I didn't want to join him. I wanted to go back to my housefolk, back in that warm den with food and a fire. Tallpaw led me back and left for home. I never saw him again.

I thought I could live again as the little kittypet, Jake, but I was mistaken. When I got there, it was empty. No Twolegs waited for me. I couldn't find anyone I knew. It was transformed into a whole different place.

It was then that I became a loner. I learned the ways of the wild and hunted for myself. I got a mate and had kits. It was good, even though I could never return to that innocent kittypet life." Jake looked up at the starry sky and sighed again. "One day, Velvet told me that our kits had branched off, gotten new owners. I had known it was going to happen. Kittypets never get used to serparation, but they deal with it as best as they can. Then, Velvet told me that one of our kits had also went to live in the forest, with Clan cats. I was curious, but growing older. I decided to visit him when I felt like it.

Before I knew it, I was too old to go into the forest-but I was about to go to StarClan anyway, and I wanted to see my son before I ,"he continued, "I believe in StarClan. But when I got there, the forest was destroyed. Everything in ruins..nothing to find. I traveled far and wide, asking any cat if they knew where my son and the Clan cats had gone. Finally, a cat told me. His name was Ravenpaw, and he lived in a barn with this old cat named Barley. He told me the Clans had gone somewhere else for a home, and from there, I kept asking cats until I knew where you were.

When I got to this lake, I heard battle cries and cats in pain. I was afraid, so I hid in this hollow. And I've been here since, finding the right chance to go in and greet my son."

Tigerheart sat in shocked slience. This old cat's life had been so eventful, and he thought over what he had just learned. He couldn't believe he was reluctant to relay his information to this cat-Jake-when he had poured out his life to him. "Who is your son?"

"His name," Jake mewed softly," was Rusty."

The realization hit Tigerheart like a storm. Rusty...Firstar. He was looking at Firestar's father! A sinking feeling in his belly, he gulped and, voice shaking, replied.

"Your son, Rusty...He's dead."

**Do you like it? Thanks for reviews, it really encouraged me! This is my first fanfic...I really hope you like!**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three:

TIGERHEART

"He can't be," Jake whispered, his voice cracking, "No...not Rusty!"

Tigerheart bowed his head and stepped away. He would leave Jake to mourn now, he decided. Padding away, he headed back inside the hollow.

"Wait," called Jake's voice, thick with sadness. "I want to know."

Tigerheart stopped. He glanced back at Jake's old, grieving face and leaned against the walls of the stone. "What do you want to know? You can live the rest of your life not knowing,"he added helpfully. "It would spare you the pain."

"No,"Jake said firmly. He gazed into Tigerheart's sad eyes directed ferocity into them. "I need to know...how did he die? What did he do with his life?"

"I-" Tigerheart paused. He flicked his tail, letting it flop back onto the ground. "I'll start at the beginning," he decided, his voice hoarse with sadness of bringing bad news.

"Firestar was a kittypet, which you already know, but what you don't know is that he joined a Clan called ThunderClan-the very Clan these herbs come from." Tigerheart gently picked up the herbs and set them down in front of them. "He joined ThunderClan when Graystripe, a young gray apprentice, met him in the forest along with the great ThunderClan leader, Bluestar, and a warrior, Lionblaze. Bluestar proposed that she had seen him stalking prey, and was impressed with his skill, though he was a kittypet. Then, she invited him to join her Clan, because ThunderClan was running out of warriors to feed and fight for the Clan. Rusty agreed, of course, and the next day he met Lionblaze and Whitestorm, another ThunderClan warrior, at the edge of the ThunderClan border. That day, he was named Firepaw by Bluestar, and accepted by StarClan. The Clan that he joined, though…." Tigerheart paused and reconsidered telling Jake this;he didn't want the Clans to seem unaccepting, but he had to tell the truth. "The rest of the Clan didn't think he could ever be great. He proved them wrong, though.

Firepaw made friends with most of the Clan cats by the time he was warrior-but something was troubling him. A warrior in his Clan...had killed another Clanmate, and Firepaw brought him to justice. The cat's name was Tigerclaw, and he wanted to be leader of ThunderClan. When everyone found out that he was a traitor, he was banished from the forest and Firestar became deputy, and...well, the warrior code explains the rest. He became leader of ThunderClan, and soon the forest was being destroyed and...It's a really long story,"he paused, uncomfortable. "I'm not ThunderClan...I shouldn't explain this to you, I don't know enough."

"How did he die?" Jake insisted. "I need to know."

Tigerheart sighed. "He was killed by a fallen tree..The Dark Forest..Okay, let me explain. StarClan is where dead cats go, you know that..But cats who have done wrongly go to the Dark Forest in death… The cats in the Dark Forest decided to destroy StarClan and put the Clans in their will. Firestar and the four Clans went against the Dark Forest and defeated them, but not before Firestar died." Tigerheart gulped. "That's all I'm going to tell you for now," he decided,"Really, you should get some ThunderClan cat to tell you. I didn't know Firestar like his Clan did."

"Firestar," Jake murmured,"Not Rusty. _Firestar." _He laughed, a loud, husky laugh. "Well, at least I know now. Thank you for telling me."

Tigerheart bowed his head respectfully, and padded out of the hollow. "I'm going to hunt some more," he mewed to Jake,"Do you want some more fresh-kill?"

Jake looked confused for a second;then comprehension stole into his eyes. "I forgot-that's what you Clan cats call 'prey', huh? Well, I think I'm full for today." He tucked his muzzle in his pelt in bundled into the nest, giving his ruffled fur a lick before drifting off to sleep.

Tigerheart couldn't help feeling as if Jake had taken his son's death extremely well. He was obviously mourning, but he accepted the fact and was able to listen to what had happened without flinching. Tigerheart knelt, catching sight of a sparrow, and raised his tail straight out, tensing. He felt his nerves tingle involuntarily at the sight of more prey. Stiffening, he pounced, his paws raised to cuff the prey to the ground, but just as he swung, a streak of black ran past him, and the sparrow fell to the ground, dead.

Tigerheart turned, bristling. "That was my-"His protests stopped mid-yowl. "Crowfrost?" He stepped forward; his fur stopped bristling and he let out a friendly purr. "How is ShadowClan?"

Crowfrost growled, no hint of friendliness in his stance. "What are you doing so close to the ShadowClan border?" His muscles were tensed, his whiskers tingling uneasily.

"I-"Tigerheart shook his head, astounded. "Crowfrost-You're speaking as if I'm not from ShadowClan! I'm a Clan cat just like you-"

"You're nothing like me,"Crowfrost spat, revulsion in his words. "Ever since you betrayed our Clan to-"

"I'm telling you, StarClan told me to attack him!" Tigerheart screeched, outraged. "How can you not believe me? Don't you remember those times when we were such good friends?"

"I believe in Blackstar," Crowfrost snarled, "And he believes that StarClan is turning on us. Why have you sided with them? They let Toadstep die. Doesn't that mean anything to you?"  
>"I'm siding with the truth," Tigerheart anger grew with every syllable, "And what I have been taught. Are we all going to go against our ancestors?"<p>

"Maybe we are,"Crowfrost spat, revulsion pulsing in the words,"StarClan didn't stop Toadstep from dying. They should have saved him." He clawed the sparrow towards him and backed away disgust in his voice,"It just serves you right if you want to side with cats like them." He padded away, the sparrow hanging limply in his jaws.

Tigerheart's muscles were still tightened minutes after Crowfrost left. Was this really how the Clans thought of him? Of StarClan? The truth was, after Toadstep's death, StarClan hadn't spoken to him either, which was to be expected. He was no medicine cat, or leader. But he couldn't stop the feeling of wishing they would at least contact him for all he had sacrificed to help them.

Groaning, Tigerheart saw the sun reach the hills and headed back for the hollow. It had been a very unsuccessful hunting trip, but at least he had learned how the Clans were coping with prior incidents. He had discovered something.

DOVEWING

Dovewing pounced on Ivypool, then let go. She flicked her ears playfully. "I'm getting better at fighting against the moves you learned from Hawkfrost," she purred, batting at her sister's ear.

Ivypool clawed at her pelt, trying to get up. "Mouse-brain!" she teased, rising to her paws and shaking out her fur to brush the dust away."You couldn't send a mouse running." She flicked her tail and backed away. "Anyways, aren't we supposed to get back to camp?"

Dovewing nodded, her gaze solemn once again. They had been patrolling the ShadowClan border since dawn, from Bramblestar's orders. Dovewing couldn't help feeling that he was trying to avoid the inevitable-as if securing their borders against the cats that had stopped believing in StarClan would change everything. It was impossible. ShadowClan had lost their belief in StarClan, and, with ThunderClan sharing a border with them, it was a matter of time before everyone realized-Tigerheart could be prowling along in their territory anytime, his scent now probably hidden by the scent of being rogue. Dovewing shivered, and pushed Ivypool forward. Come one," she purred, scenting mouse,"Let's go. I can smell prey." She bounded forward, Ivypool stationed opposite her. Undoubtedly, Ivypool had scented the mouse, too, for her eyes brightened, and she crouched so low, her fur was close to brushing the undergrowth. Dovewing nodded at her as they both spotted a streak of brown, and Dovewing yowled, herding the mouse forward. It shrieked, heading obviously between Ivypool's paws. Clamping her paws together, Ivypool struggled to catch it. But the mouse ran out from her paws and screeched away, hopping into a bundle of roots somewhere. Ivypool sighed,"Mouse dung! I would have caught it, too." She pulled herself up and headed back towards camp. "Come on. I want to get away from this foul ShadowClan scent immediately."

"I don't sympathize."

Dovewing jumped, catching a faint smell of ShadowClan, mixed with something else...something more..wild. She turned to Ivypool, confusion in her eyes. Ivypool crouched on the forest floor, hissing in anger. "Tigerheart," she spat.

Whirling around, Dovewing immediately saw the familiar dark tabby pelt, the strong rise of the muscles. Her eyes met his, and she quickly looked down, her pelt burning.

"Ivypool. How nice to see you."From where he was crouched, right inside the ShadowClan border, he licked his paws and swiped one behind his ear, almost lazily. "How's ThunderClan?"

"As well as always. " Ivypool didn't elaborate, just turned on him, spitting in fury. "What are you doing here? Do you _want _to get ThunderClan into this mess?"

Tigerheart's gaze faltered for a second, then he maintained his composure. "Of course not… ShadowClan has enough troubles already without ThunderClan trying to help." He meant no offense as he said this, but Dovewing and Ivypool's fur bristled. "Honestly, though," he murmured, "what do you think about what's happening? Do you agree with my Clanmates?"

Ivypool snarled and gripped the ground with her sharp claws. "No. Not a cat in ThunderClan will lose loyalty in StarClan." Her eyes, smoldering like coals, met his. "Unlike your Clan,"she snapped, and turned away. "Come on, Dovewing."

Dovewing followed her sister through the weaving trees, looking back at Tigerheart for a second. He was gone.

TIGERHEART

Tigerheart slit the pidgeon open and let the scent drift into the air. He leaned back, feeling the wind brush his fur as he handed the fresh-kill to Jake. "Here."

"I've got to thank you,"Jake murmured quietly, flashing a grateful glance at Tigerheart. "I wouldn't have survived this long without you."

Tigerheart shrugged uncomfortably. "'S all right," He mewed, grabbing another mouse for himself. They sat in companionable silence until Jake had finished the last of the pidgeon. "Are you ready?" he mewed, excitement clouding his eyes.

"What?"Tigerheart started as Jake pulled the mouse away from him and put it back in the hollow.

"We're going to meet with your Clan!" As he said this, he was equally pulling Tigerheart up, vainly.. Tigerheart brushed himself off and got up, annoyance sparking in his eyes.  
>"Why would we-" Before he could continue, Jake ran down the hill, screeching."We're going to bring justice to this forest!"<p>

Tigerheart groaned and followed him, grudgingly. The old cat would see, for himself, how firm the ShadowClan cats were. He dragged his reluctant paws after him.

When they reached the ShadowClan border, Tigerheart paused the determined Jake and lept in front of him. "No screeching,yowling, or loud sounds of any sort. We'll probably get caught by a border patrol, which is okay, but getting caught will take time. We'll have to sneak to the camp." Tigerheart squeezed under a bush and crawled out the other side. He pulled Jake along, through the forest, making sure to keep out of the way of other cats. They finally reached the ShadowClan camp, and Jake, relieved, collapsed in a bundle of nerves as they neared the entrance. "Er, what are these-ShadowClan cats like, anyways?" he asked nervously as the entered the camp.

"Just like any other cats, you'll see,"Tigerheart stepped out of the entrance, ready to see his home.

What he saw, instead, was darkness.


End file.
